380 Thunder VS Plus for a Woman? (Pics included)

Hey guys,

My wife's birthday is coming up pretty soon and I'm planning on buying her either the standard thunder 380 or the plus model. The thing is, she's got small girly hands... nothing comical, normal size for a woman; but small. I'm just really unsure which one to buy for her. This would NOT be used as a CC. We live just outside Chicago, IL (no CC allowed) -So this gun would be strictly for home protection while she's home alone. I've got a Glock 22, but she could not really handle it when I took her to the range with me. It wasn't just that it was a 40 cal, but also because the handle was just too thick for her to grasp securely.

I know an easy solution would be to just take her to a gun shop and have her hold them and compare, but I've called almost every dealer in a 50 mile area and none of them carry any Bersa 380's (pro or standard). And I'm also trying to surprise her, although that's not entirely important. After researching this for hours, I'd have to say that I'm really set on purchasing her a Bersa 380 for numerous reasons. -The gun seems like it would be perfect for my wife --and hell, if she doesn't like it I'll keep it and buy her something else for her birthday

All that being said, I'm leaning toward the plus model. I mean we're talking about 7 vs 15 rounds! In a worst "home invasion" case scenario, I really think those extra rounds could mean the difference between life and death, especially for a person who doesn't have all that much experience in shooting. Do any of you guys think the larger handle on the plus model would be a problem for a woman. Know of any females out there that have had experience with the plus vs standard model?

My wife isn't really interested in guns all that much, but I know that she would like me to buy her a handgun, yet she wouldn't want to pick out one herself. She's kinda weird like that. She's really intimidated by guns/gun shops/ "gun enthusiasts"/ etc lol. So this all really rests in my hands.

Which one of these would you buy for your wife, mother, daughter, etc., if you were in a similar situation? -The 380 Thunder or the 380 Thunder Plus?

Respectfully sir... I wouldn't buy her either. Unless you can successfully choose the shoes that are the most comfortable for her, you're rolling the dice as to whether or not SHE finds either gun comfortable. If the gun is not comfortable to HER, she likely will not shoot it enough to become proficient with it, and that's not the outcome you desire. I've taught firearms classes for over 20 years, and it's been my experience that every shooter should choose their own firearm/s, initially based on comfort, and "fit".

Suggestion / offer .......

I own both of the guns you're interested in. I'm about 2.5 hours SE of Chicago. If you're interested in driving down here, I'll give you two sole access to a private range, and both guns for a few hours, and you can then make an informed decision, based on experience, as opposed to speculation. All you need bring is however much .380 ammunition yiou want to shoot.

My wife isn't really interested in guns all that much, but I know that she would like me to buy her a handgun, yet she wouldn't want to pick out one herself. She's kinda weird like that. She's really intimidated by guns/gun shops/ "gun enthusiasts"/ etc lol. So this all really rests in my hands.

This is the statement that concerns me. If she's not interested in guns, then is an auto the best choice for her? Is she willing to take the time to learn to clear a jam? Handle a fail to fire or fail to feed? Can she rack the slide with one hand or does she have to do a push/pull? Does she know, or is willing to learn, a tap rack drill? If not, the simplicity of a revolver may be a better choice.

Or, you can do what I just did....my wife has small hands also, but she wasn't going to carry, so I had her check out every firearm possible....I really didn't want her to have a compact model, because they are more difficult to be accurate with...........It came down to S&W model 10, model 15, model 686, HK P30, or Ruger SR40. Because of rounds, cost, and a few other factors, she ended up with the Ruger SR40, and coudn't be happier.

My wife's birthday is coming up pretty soon and I'm planning on buying her either the standard thunder 380 or the plus model. The thing is, she's got small girly hands... nothing comical, normal size for a woman; but small.

Hi Johnny:

My wife is in a similar situation. I actually own Bersa 380 plus, and she has trouble racking the slide and even pulling the trigger in DA is difficult. I bought the gun mostly for her, and while I love it, it doesn't suit her at all. Her weak hands (and lack of interest) kind of killed it. Anyway, you might want to check out Kel-Tek's PMR-30, 22 magnum, at this link Kel-Tec PMR-30 22 Magnum Semi-Auto Pistol. It's a 30 round semi-auto with a relatively light trigger pull. Haven't had my paws on one yet, but I'm planning on it soon. Looks like it might fit the bill. It's a bit weak, but, if she's confident with it, that makes all the difference.

My wife has the same problem....that's why she ended up with a SR40.....she can rack the slide, and the trigger is very nice......

Originally Posted by DrJimO

Hi Johnny:

My wife is in a similar situation. I actually own Bersa 380 plus, and she has trouble racking the slide and even pulling the trigger in DA is difficult. I bought the gun mostly for her, and while I love it, it doesn't suit her at all. Her weak hands (and lack of interest) kind of killed it. Anyway, you might want to check out Kel-Tek's PMR-30, 22 magnum, at this link Kel-Tec PMR-30 22 Magnum Semi-Auto Pistol. It's a 30 round semi-auto with a relatively light trigger pull. Haven't had my paws on one yet, but I'm planning on it soon. Looks like it might fit the bill. It's a bit weak, but, if she's confident with it, that makes all the difference.

Get whatever she is willing to practice with. There is a very good article about caliber mythology, I believe on this site. A shotgun it the ultimate home defense weapon, but then you get back to practice. The same holds true for virtually all high caliber handguns. According to this study, the .380 ACP is the most popular defensive round in the world.

My wife has a Ruger LCP in .380 and I have the standard Bersa Thunder .380. For me, it is the perfect size, grip, and capacity. I use it for my CC and if I cannot hit my target in 8 rounds I am in a bad situation. In addition, my POU is a 12g Mossberg with 00 buck and a .40 cal Berertta for the house, a Ruger 9mm with a extra 15 round mag for the car, and my 7+1 Bersa Thunder with a dual mag pouch for CC.

The Bersa CC model was too small for my hands and the Plus was too bulky for my hand and holster. Again, if I cannot stop my assailant with 8 rounds, I do not think 15 is going to make much difference given the fact that I can reload a mag in 5 seconds. If you have a "more is better" why not just go with a MAC 11 with 4 thrity round mags?

Get whatever she is willing to practice with. There is a very good article about caliber mythology, I believe on this site. A shotgun it the ultimate home defense weapon, but then you get back to practice. The same holds true for virtually all high caliber handguns. According to this study, the .380 ACP is the most popular defensive round in the world.

My wife has a Ruger LCP in .380 and I have the standard Bersa Thunder .380. For me, it is the perfect size, grip, and capacity. I use it for my CC and if I cannot hit my target in 8 rounds I am in a bad situation. In addition, my POU is a 12g Mossberg with 00 buck and a .40 cal Berertta for the house, a Ruger 9mm with a extra 15 round mag for the car, and my 7+1 Bersa Thunder with a dual mag pouch for CC.

The Bersa CC model was too small for my hands and the Plus was too bulky for my hand and holster. Again, if I cannot stop my assailant with 8 rounds, I do not think 15 is going to make much difference given the fact that I can reload a mag in 5 seconds. If you have a "more is better" why not just go with a MAC 11 with 4 thrity round mags?

Get whatever she is willing to practice with......The Bersa CC model was too small for my hands and the Plus was too bulky for my hand and holster. Again, if I cannot stop my assailant with 8 rounds,

My wife ended up with the Bersa built Firestorm 22lr for a starter. If she settles down with it and wants a larger caliber I'll take her to a rent-a-gun range. I carried the BT 380 for nearly six years and I too initially had problems with it due to having wide hands and my little finger didn't quite fit on the grip. After about a year, I finally discovered the DLX 9 round mags and that helped greatly. I now carry the 9UC and keep one of the 380s out as backup at night.